But she found the key wasn't on the nail. So she ran to the Others in rather a state, and asked them, Then one of the Others fussed about in her pocket, and found it, saying, "Well I never!--Now however did it get there?" So Phyllis answered, pretty sharp, "It got there because you put it there," and she ran off with the key. But the Others stayed behind, and agreed secretly to dislike Phyllis. [Illustration: BUT THE OTHERS AGREED TO DISLIKE PHYLLIS] Then Phyllis came to the boot-hole, and unlocked it. And the boot-hole was a dear little place, very dark and dewy, with bricks for the floor, and a glass-hole at the top with wire over it, so he couldn't get out that way. And it was furnished all round the walls with blacking bottles, and across the middle with a knife-board done up in red powder by the King's command, to make it comfie for him. Then Phyllis tried to collect mannikin; only he wouldn't be collected. So Phyllis said, "Why?" But mannikin only sat on his hands on the knife-board, with his back very round, and said, "Becob I won't," which wasn't a bit like mannikin, for though he was so mischievous, he was very merry too mostly always. Then Phyllis answered quite kindly, "Then don't, my dear. I only thought it would make a little run for you." But mannikin only said quite snappy, "Goodness sake, go 'way." So she went; locking the door behind her, to keep him good and tight. And the real truth was that about a minute back the Commander-in-Chief had crept into the back-yard in his slippers, and whispered mannikin through the crack to tell him where the key was, and he would let him out to escape. For the Commander-in-Chief knew that would get Tiny into an awful row with the King. So mannikin got in a fearful state, and ran up and down the door, and told the Commander-in-Chief about the key on the nail in the kitchen, and to get it _quick_! goodness sake _quick_! Then the Commander-in-Chief crept to the back-door, disguised as a milk-man, and peeped into the kitchen. And he found the nail, but no key on it: for the key was in the pocket of one of the Others all the time--and a good job, too. So when the Commander-in-Chief saw he was disappointed of spiting Tiny that way, he ran back to the crack, and spat, and swore most terribly, while poor little mannikin cuddled away in the corner out of range. And the Commander-in-Chief said he must report mannikin to the King for trying to escape, because it was his duty: for the Commander-in-Chief is head of the Policeman as well as of the Army in That Country. And he went on about how he would never have believed it, _never_; and how disappointed he was; and how he had hoped, and so on, etc. And now, he said, however much it pained him, he must tell the King that mannikin only grew worse and worse, and make His Majesty promise to keep him tight in the boot-hole all his life for ever.